Recent protests in Russia underscored growing popular dissatisfaction in a country dominated for the past decade by the quasi-authoritarian rule of President (now Prime Minister) Vladimir Putin. TIME presents portraits of prominent dissidents and opposition figures in Russia, accompanied by their own words. Photos and testimonials (edited down by TIME) come via the Institute of Modern Russia, an organization sponsored by the family of jailed tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky.

Alexey Navalny

“Putin and his gang have exercised their political will in usurping power in Russia, using it for their own enrichment. They will remain in power as long as we do not exercise our political will and do not remove them from power.”